Most Asked Scrum Master Interview Questions + Answers [UPDATED 2024]

Agile methodologies are proving to be beneficial to organizations.

According to the CollabNet VerisionOne Report, 56 percent of respondent businesses employ scrum techniques to execute agile. This indicates that teams are increasingly turning to the Scrum Framework to deploy agile methodologies. The Scrum Master is in charge of ensuring that the team adheres to the Scrum Framework and that the team achieves success.

Given the Scrum framework’s rapid development and popularity, it’s no surprise that demand for Scrum Masters is skyrocketing. According to the study, the typical base income for the position is $103,000, with a 2,000+ job growth year over year. Scrum Masters who have received formal Scrum training and agile certifications earn more money than those who do not.

It is a tough role to fill since the scrum master must help the team in reaching consensus on projects and timeframes, organize daily scrum sessions, keep the team focused on what was agreed upon in those daily scrums, remove barriers in their path, and protect them from distractions. If you were unsure about pursuing the Scrum Master job as a profession, you should be clear today. With this Scrum Master interview questions and answers, you can begin preparing for your Scrum Master interview today.

Here is a selection of excellent, expert-curated Scrum Master interview questions and answers to help you effectively crack Scrum Master or Agile Coach interviews. With the ready-to-roll answers, you will be able to confidently answer questions about Scrum Project Manager, Technical Scrum Master, Senior Scrum Master, SAFe Scrum Master, and Scrum Master – Senior IT Program Manager. Prepare well for your next interview with these Scrum Master interview questions and answers.

Scrum Master Interview Questions + Answers in 2024

Scrum Master Interview Question #1: How do you help team members in selecting strong user stories?

Answer: One of the tasks of a Scrum Master is to help the team in bringing up the backlog for a sprint that has already in the first position and pulling items that are placed at the top (sorted as per the priority). Once the team has identified things from the pile of requirements that might provide value, the Scrum Master can help them (Product Owner + Development Team) in converting them into good user stories (if it is not already).

A good user narrative contains a description as well as acceptance criteria. It should be a component that can be ready to roll in a sprint and has few dependencies. The team should be able to create and test inside the sprint constraints while also giving estimations. In a nutshell, excellent user stories adhere to the INVEST concept.

• Independent – Less reliant on others.
• Negotiable – Describes the functionality, which the Team and the PO agreed on.
• Valuable – Adds value to the customer’s life.
• Estimable – Not estimable if it is too huge or too ambiguous.
• Testable – Good acceptance criteria
• Small – The team can do this in a Sprint.

A Scrum team member does not want to engage in sprint planning meetings and regards them as a waste of time. How do you cope with such an attitude?

Answer: It is critical for a Scrum Master to grasp the team’s pulse. If a member of your team considers meetings to be pointless, it’s time to figure out why. The Scrum Master should try to talk to the team member individually by asking open-ended questions to find out the reason for not attending the meeting. Certainly, there is a need to comprehend the underlying reason for this conduct and attempt to convey the significance of the planning meeting (Scrum ceremonies).

Do you expect experienced team members to wait until the next stand-up to seek assistance in overcoming barriers?

Answer: Agile emphasizes continual engagement and communication among the scrum team members. Team members should NOT wait until the next daily scrum to seek assistance; doing so introduces delays in the process, which will have an influence on the overall sprint goal. If there is an impediment, it should be there at once. During a sprint planning session, the team commits to sprint items based on their capabilities.

For example, I have 50 hours of committed labor, but I stopped because of a stumbling barrier. Now, if I wait until the following day or the next daily scrum to discuss it, I’m losing workable hours that addressing it right away might deal with it. The question also expressly asks for ‘experienced team members,’ which implies that if the experienced people resort to waiting, it sends the wrong impression to the rest of the team.

Such team conduct also depicts latent problems or team members who are hesitant to speak up. The Scrum Master should help the team in understanding the value of real-time talks and should encourage good conversation among the scrum team members. Even the Scrum Master may devise some team-building exercises to help the team collaborate more effectively.

What information would you need from the Product Owner to keep the team up to speed on the product and market situation?

Answer: The teams working on a product must be aware of the project’s and the customer’s integrity. The product owner should help the team in understanding “why are we creating it?” and “what function will it serve?”

Such inquiries help the staff in better understanding their consumer. The product owner must convey the added value if the product is delivered on time. Talking about the market condition helps teams understand how product management works and the importance of time to market. It also aids in steering the team in a new direction at the conclusion of each Sprint, as the product owner may help the team in understanding how the consumer will use the product.

What are the Artifacts of the Scrum Process?

Answer:

• Product Backlog: Refers to a list of new features, modifications to features, bug fixes, infrastructure improvements, and other actions to guarantee a certain output may be produced.
• Sprint Backlog: A subset of the product backlog including items prioritized by the team to meet the sprint goal. Teams begin by identifying the tasks that must be ready to roll from the product backlog.
• Product Increment: This is the sum of all product backlog items accomplished in a sprint plus the value of prior sprint increments. Even if the product owner does not explain it, the output must be useful.

Is there ever a time when the waterfall is preferable to Scrum?

Answer: There should never be an all-or-nothing attitude to any endeavor. A mixed technique is sometimes the most effective. Other times, a completely conventional approach is the best option for the project. For example, if the task is straightforward, predictable, and well-defined, the waterfall is most likely appropriate. This scrum master interview question will assess whether the candidate is concerned with their specific emphasis or the general success of the project.

What precisely is the Scrum Master’s responsibility during the Daily Scrum?

Answer: The Scrum Master organizes the Development team’s Scrum meeting. The Development team is the primary participant in the meeting. The Scrum Master, on the other hand, advises the Development Team to maintain the Daily Scrum inside the 15-minute time-box. The Scrum Master enforces the requirement that only members of the Development Team attend the Daily Scrum.

What is a Scrum Master’s function in a sprint retrospective?

Answer: Member of a peer team The Sprint Retrospective gives a chance to examine and improve progress. The Scrum Master acts as a facilitator for his or her team. Teams under the Scrum framework are self-organized and open to making changes fast wherever they are necessary.

What is the Scrum Master’s primary reason for attending the Daily Scrum?

Answer: A Scrum Master does not need to be present; all that needs is that the Development Team conducts a Daily Scrum. The Scrum Master enforces the requirement that only members of the Development Team participate in the Daily Scrum. Although the Scrum Master or Product Owner can attend this meeting to help with the Daily Scrum, Scrum does not necessitate it. During the Daily Scrum, members of the Development Team coordinate their work, assess their progress toward the Sprint Goal, and, if necessary, adjust the Sprint Backlog and the strategy for the following 24 hours.